Word
abstraction
Phoneticsab·strac·tion, stress on the second syllable
US/æbˈstɹækʃən/
UK/ɐbstɹˈækʃən/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. an idea or quality that is not a physical thing. You use this word when talking about concepts like love, justice, or time instead of objects you can touch.
n. the quality of dealing with ideas rather than events; a concept that is not physical or concrete. Often used in academic or technical contexts to describe theoretical frameworks.
Examples
“Love is an abstraction, not a physical object.”
“The professor explained that democracy is a complex abstraction.”
“Modern art often relies on abstraction to convey emotion without realistic detail.”
Examples
simple
“Love is an abstraction, not a physical object.”
contextual
“The professor explained that democracy is a complex abstraction.”
complex
“Modern art often relies on abstraction to convey emotion without realistic detail.”
Real-World Examples
“Grace Kimani, a patrol leader with Lake Naivasha and Oloiden, told Al Jazeera that the reservoir is under growing pressure from population growth, agriculture, water abstraction, climate variability, pollution and ecosystem degradation.” “Since the genetic code provides a layer of abstraction between DNA and proteins, it wasn’t obvious what a model trained on DNA could do.” Etymology
From Middle English abstraccyone; either from Middle French abstraction or from Medieval Latin abstrāctiō (“separation”), from Latin abstrahō (“draw away”). Equivalent to abstract + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/abstraction